(1) Generally, paid family or medical leave benefits are payable on or after the date the employee applies for benefits. An application or weekly claim may be backdated for good cause or for the convenience of the department.

(2) For the purpose of this section:

(a)(i) "Good cause" means factors beyond the employee's control that reasonably prevented an employee from applying for benefits at the time of need for paid leave. These factors include, but are not limited to, a serious health condition, a period of incapacity, or a natural disaster.

(ii) The burden is on the employee to establish that good cause exists. The employee must provide all pertinent information and documentation which demonstrates that the factors prevented the employee from applying for benefits when the qualifying event occurred. This may include, but is not limited to, certification from a health care provider, evidence of a natural disaster, or other information required by the department.

(b) "For the convenience of the department" means for the purpose of program administration or situations when accepting timely applications or weekly claims was difficult or impossible. These include, but are not limited to, equipment breakdown or lack of available staff.

(3) An employee who wants to backdate an application or weekly claim must file for benefits during the first seven days after the date that the factors that constitute good cause no longer exist.